Page 5 of Heavenly Bodies

‘Apologies for our tardiness, Your Majesty,’ Leonardo said behind her. ‘This one gave us more trouble than we expected.’

Elara made a small sound of dry amusement—of course the general hadn’t wonderedwhyElara had exercised her power upon the guards—her gaze finally sliding to the king.

Idris D’Oro’s skin was olive; his nostrils flared in a permanent sneer. His frame was one of an ageing man; she could see where muscles had once been, gained from the infamous battles she had heard the stories of, but they had been replaced with a paunch of gluttony. His black hair was slicked back, revealing slanting eyebrows, but it was his eyes that made her shiver. They were golden, but like shards of glass. Empty.

‘Princess Elara.’ Oil slid over his words, as she inclined her head.

‘It’s Queen now, technically.’

It was then that her attention was taken by the figure in the throne beside the king, who had leaned forwards as she spoke, his chin now resting indolently on his hand. She felt a dull thump as she locked eyes with him. He was so handsome that for a moment, her mind froze. His skin was darker than the king’s—a golden shade of brown. His jaw cut into his face, and the hard planes of it were accentuated with black brows and black curls that fell across his forehead. A small hoop in his ear glowed in the Helion rays castingthrough the stained-glass windows. But it was his eyes that made her pause. They were gold also, but the liquid gold of the waterfalls outside. They glinted like the crown he wore tipped on his head, and they looked at her like she was prey, glancing down her figure, taking in her torn nightgown.

Elara realized with a start who she was staring at. He gave a slow, hungry grin as he saw the understanding dawn in her eyes. Prince Lorenzo. The Lion of Helios.

‘I believe there needs to be a coronation to officially become queen,’ Idris sneered.

Elara’s attention was still fixed on the prince. ‘I suppose I was a little busy getting kidnapped to attend mine.’

With a blink she tore her eyes from him, the stories and whispers she had heard of him roiling below the surface of her consciousness. She willed calm into her veins and forced her focus back on to King Idris, trying to ignore the prince’s piercing gaze.

‘Which brings me to my next point,’ Idris said. ‘We were sorry to hear about the late king and queen’s passing, princess.’

The truth spoken aloud nearly made Elara crumple to the floor. But she kept her back straight, even as her hand twitched by her side. All she wanted was to retaliate against Idris’s disrespect, but no magick reared up, her source empty.

‘You mean their murder.’

‘It’s a good thing my guards found you when they did, or perhapsyourdeath would have been next.’ Idris inclined his head. ‘Or perhaps not, if the story of how you escaped the wrath of a Star is true.’

The dry heat had dissipated from the room, Elara’s entire being growing cold and stiff.

‘How do you kn—?’

‘Come, now. You believe that every king and queen across Celestia doesn’t know? As servants to the Stars, of course weheard the news. Star Leyon called us to his temple the moment he heard of the events that took place last night. And also told me of your little prophecy that started it all. That summoned Ariete in the first place.’

Elara fought against the images that once more bubbled up—her mother and father in tears as she had returned from the fair only the night before, and demanded to know if the prophecy that the Concordian priestess had spoken there was true.

‘Then you risk much by dragging me here, now that you know the King of Stars will do anything to find me. He killed an entire throne room of people for concealing me from him. Think what he would do to you.’ The smile that crept upon her face was tight.

The crown prince was still silent beside Idris, though his eyes had narrowed.

‘It is for this exact reason, that you were brought here.’

‘Elaborate.’

Idris’s nostrils flared at the order. He looked back to his son, who only raised an eyebrow, still silent, before he stood. There was a gleam in his lined, pale eyes.

‘I want to kill a Star. And you’re going to help me.’

CHAPTER FOUR

Elara took a step backwards, bumping right into Leonardo.

She must have misheard.

‘You want to kill a god?’ she asked hoarsely.

Elara was a royal. She knew the flaws of the Stars who the subjects of Celestia worshipped so blindly. Though her lands had been untouched by Stars—their patron goddess slumbering—when she was only eight she had heard her parents whisper to each other of what the Stars were capable of when they descended from their home in the Heavens. Capri had turned more than one subject in his land to solid gold for beating him at a game of cards. Aquaria, so Sofia had once told her, flew into such fits of rage that she could cast misfortune and curses upon an entire family line. And Ariete…well…any royal could recount the rivers of blood he had spilled in his time. She had questioned for years why they should pray to such cruel and capricious beings. And yet…to even speak the words aloud? It was utter sacrilege.

Idris twirled the yellow topaz ring on his little finger. ‘Not just any god. Ariete. The King of Stars.’ He rose from the throne and began to pace.